Panelboard mounting means



March 1, F. B ADAM PANELBOARD MOUNT ING MEANS Original Filed Deo. 26, 1925 y ber 26, 1925.

Patented Mar. l, 1932 PATENT ori-ICE FREDERICK IB.` ADAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI `IPAINELBOARD MOUNTING MEANS Driginal` application led December 26,

1925, Serial No. 77,682. Dividedand this application led December 2s, 1927. serial No. 242,214. Y

This invention relates to improvements in panelboard mounting means and more particularly to an adjustable means for mounting electric panelboards inside of enclosing cabinets.

This invention is a division of the subject matter originally included in my co-pending application, Serial No. 77,682, filed Decem- An object of this invention is to provide a means for mounting a panelboard inside an enclosing cabinet at a given distance from the door or front portion thereof, regardless N of the absolute depth of the cabinet.

A furtherobject is to providea means for adjustably securing a panelboard inside a cabinet in such a manner that the panelboard may be adjusted, both distantly and angularly with respect tothe cabinet'.

A( further object is the provision of a mounting back for a plurality of panelboard units, and which ma be adjusted to compensate for units of di erent depth.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the drawings and the following detailed description.

My invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement" and combination of parts ashereinafter fully and clearly described, definitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a. fragmentary'perspective View,V

partly in section, of a cabinet and panelboard constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip which forms a portion of the mounting back for the panelboard; and 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing the adjustable connection between the mounting back and the cabinet back.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, 15 designates the back, 16 the top, and 18 the sides of the'cabinet or boX. I preferto provide yan inturned `flange 20, surrounding the cabinet at the margins of the top, bottom and sides, all of which may be formedas a unit of sheet metal. For economy of space in shippingand handling, and for ease of assembly, I prefer to provide a trim 21, of openframe construction and a closure or door V22,'

arranged in the open frame. Bypreference, trim and door are detachabl secured to the cabinet by some suitable c amping means, such'as is shown at V23.

Next to the trim, on the inside thereof, and

preferably aiiixed thereto as by welding, is an open frame comprising a flat portion 24. This flat portion extends a short distance into the door opening of the trim to provide a stop 25, for the door in its closed osition. The frame is continued, rearward y, by the 'inclined return 26, and the return terminates in a rearwardlyextended flange 27'.` The advantage and novelty of the construction ofthe trim, door, and connected portions are made the subject of a separate application and the details `and novelties thereof depicted in detail in my co-pending application, filed December 23, 1927, Serial No. 214,211. B 'preference, thel flange y27 vwill contact with'the panelboard, which may, yor may not, be composed of sectional units, but which is formed of insulating material. A portion of the panelboard, or one section thereof, is indicated at 36; By preference `the cabinet and apparatus inside thereof are so disposed that the flange 27 contacts with the panel section 36. l

As a means for effecting a distance adjustment between the panelboard and the liange 27, I prefer to employ spacer nuts 30, andf studs 28, for location between the back 15,

of the cabinet andthe mounting back 29 for the'` panel. The spacer nuts 30, are carried by the studs`28, between the strip 29 and the cabinet back. The strips 29, are provided with holes 31, the diameter of which is some'- what in excess of the diameterl of studs'28, which permits the mountin back 29, carr ing the panelboard, to be atjusted angularl'y inside the cabinet. IIoles 31 are, by reference,.circular in form but may be o other suitable shape. The distance adjustment of the panel is effected by the location of the spacer nuts 130, on the studs 28. When the mounting back, y'with or without the panels, is oncepositioned in a particular cabinet,

this position is maintained by means of the are of substantial length, flanges 33, are preferably provided, as stiftening elements. The flange 33, may consist ot an integral portion ot the strip 29, turned inwardly at a right angle thereto. As a retaining means for the panelboard, or units thereof, I preter to provide on the mounting strips 29, a series of screw seats 34, Which are spaced a uniform distance from the edge of the strips 29, and serve to receive screws 35, for positioning the panelboard or the several units thereof.

The advantages in practical use and installation of my device will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, from the above description of parts. It will be seen that the arrangement as a Whole provides a means for mounting the panel, or panelboard, inside an enclosing cabinet so as to permit its ready insertion or removal Without any disturbance l-of Wall structure about the cabinet. rlhe advantages of the use of a pair of separate strips composing a mounting baci; for the panelboard or its sections, will be at once apparent. These strips may be stacked and nested for shipment and handling and the use oit' separate mounting bach elements permits greater nicety and ease of adjustment than docs the usual one piece mount* ing back.

In case it becomes necessary to plumb or adjust the mounting back vertically, the spacer nuts 30, the holes 31, and retaining nuts 32 render it a simple matter for one man to adjust the entire panel relative to the cabinet. By means ot such an adjustment the necessity of exact location of scren7 holes in the mounting back and cabinet back is eliminated.

The described adjustable feature of the strips composing the mounting back for the panel is adapted to be used in an arrangement such as is illustrated in Fig. l, in which the panel units are notched as at 48 to receive the flanges 27 ot the return. This arrangement holds the return at a suitable insulating space from live panelboard parts and serves to align the panel With the cabinet front. As a consequence, When the panelboard is aligned and plumbed, the mounting strips 29, and the front of the cabinet Which comprises the trim 2l, and door 22, are plumber at the same time. The adjustment of the spacer nuts 80, and the retaining nuts 32, permits forward movement ot' the panel board to meet the flange 27, of the return, regardless of t-he distance separating the trim and the cabinet flange.

WVhat I claim is:

l. A panelboard, a` cabinet, and a panel mounting comprising a strip adapted for securement to the panelboard, and having a bolt opening adjacent each its ends, bolts carried by spaced portions of the cabinet, and being 'of lesser diameter than said openings,

and a plurality of holding means threadedly associated with each of said bolts, and ar ranged for engagement with opposite sides of the strip adjacent the associated bolt opening.

2. A panelboard, a cabinet, and a panel mounting comprising a metal strip extending transversely of and beyond the panelboard, and having a series ol aligned seats 'for receiving panel screws, an oversize bolt opening adjacent each its ends, bolts extending through said openings into a Wall of the cabinet, and holding means adjustably engaging each bolt and the adjacent opposite sides oi said strip, and adapted 'for position ing the strip in adjusted relation with respect to the cabinet.

3. in combination with a panelboard and a cabinet therefor, a mounting device tor the panelboard comprising a metal strip, having a trend along the back of the panclboard and projecting substantially beyond the panelbeard, and positioning means in connection With said st ip adapted to provide for adjustments o'l said 1panelboard and strip With respect to the cabinet, said means including a Athreaded member extending through the projecting part oi: the strip and into a wall of the cabinet and a portion of the strip having an oversize aperture for receiving the threaded member.

hl. A mounting means adapted for the support oi a panelboard assembly within a cabinet, said means comprising a metal plate adapted for securement to the panelboard, and extending along one Wall ot the cabinet, means rendering said plate spacially adjustable with respect to said Wall of said cabinet, and a plurality ot holding means extending through said plate and into the cabinet Wall, said holding means and plate being related to permit angular adjustment ot said plate with respect to said cabinet.

A means tor mounting a panelboard in a cabinet, comprising a stud projecting trom a Wal oit said cabinet, an adjustable spacing means on said stud, a plate adapted for the support ot the panel, said plate having an opening therein of substantially greater size than necessary to receive said stud, said opening, spacing means and stud being adapted to permit angular adjustment and distance ci the plate and panel With respect to the cabinet, and a retaining means on said stud.

6. A device for mounting a panelboard assembly in a cabinet, comprising stud bolts projecting inside the cabinet, spacing nuts and retaining-nuts on said stud bolts, a panelboard carrying .member having apertures therethrough substantially greater in size than the diameter of the stud bolts, whereby said member may be angularly and distantlv adj usted with respect to a Wall of said cabinet.

7. A panelboard, a cabinet and a panelboard mounting comprising a metal panel carrying member of strip form, stud bolts projecting inside the cabinet, spacing nuts Vand retaining nuts on said stud bolts, said metal strip'being provided with screw seats, having apertures therethrough substantially greater in size than the diameter of the stud bolts, whereby said strip is angularly and distantly adjustable with respect to a wallof the cabinet, and holding elements engaging said panelboard and resident in the screw seats on said strip. v Y

8. A device for mountin a panelboard in a cabinet, comprising stu bolts projecting inside the cabinet, spacing nuts and retaining nuts on said stud bolts and aY panelboard carrying member having apertures therethrough adapted to receive said stud bolts, and to permit free adjusting movement of the bolts in any direction within `the openings, whereby said member may be adjusted, universally,

with respect to aV wall of said cabinet.

9. A sectional panelboard, a cabinet, a mounting metal back for securing the sections of said panelboard in assembled relation, said mounting back comprising a pair of members, each having aligned screw seats for thereception of holding means for said sections, yand an'opening adjacent each of its ends, `bolts projecting into saidvcabinet and said openings, and having a substantially lesser diameter than the diameter of the openings, and a pair of nuts on each ofsaid bolts, arranged for engagement with`V opposite sides of the mounting back, adjacent the corresponding bolt opening.

10. A panelboard assembly including a panel portion of insulating material, a cabinet for the panel portion, mounting members formed of metal strip material and eX- tending from opposite sides of the panel portion, screws extending from the panel portion into the mounting members, each of said mem# bers having a seat for one of said screws, additional screws extending through said mounting members and into wall portions of the cabinet at points beyond the panel p0rtion, said members having openings for said last-named screws, the openings being of substantially greater area than necessary to accommodate their screws, whereby to permit relative adjusting movement of said mounting members with respect to the cabinet.

, FREDERICK B. ADAM. 

